This old two-story brick building in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter has a fascinating history.
The property has been home to a factory that made crackers for ships, several other bakeries including the Royal Pie Bakery, and in the early 20th century, an upstairs hotel that was described as a den of rampant immorality!
Standing at 554 Fourth Avenue, the building was most recently home to Dublin Square Irish Pub.
The property’s history is so complex and interesting that one should read this detailed article by the Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation.
An aging plaque on front of the building reads:
Royal Pie Bakery 1884
Originally known as the San Diego Steam Cracker Factory, this brick structure has remained a bakery since its construction in 1884. During the first part of the 20th century, when the Gaslamp was deteriorating into a red-light district, the upper floor housed the notorious Empire Hotel, and later the Anchor Hotel. In 1920, Alois Kuhnel and F. A. Smith purchased the bakery. They were partners until 1939. The building was sold to Alois Kuhnel in 1950.
The Royal Pie Bakery finally closed in 1998.
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